Category: ADC Technology

Clay Siegall, Ph.D., has a never ending passion for scientific research and helping those in need. It was his fathers battle with cancer that inspired him to peruse a career in cancer therapy. Prior to co-founding Seattle Genetics, Clay earned a degree in genetics from George Washington University and worked for Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the National Cancer Institute, and the National Institutes of Health. His years of hard research and garnered knowledge has earned him countless awards and recognition. Clay has written over 70 publications and holds 15 patents. He is also on the Board of Directors for Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Alder BioPharmaceuticals and Washington Roundtable.

While watching his father suffer through harsh chemotherapy, Clay asked himself why there wasn’t a better way to treat patients. Believing such brutal treatments needed to become obsolete, Dr. Siegall was propelled down the path to a successful future in developing alternative and more effective targeted cancer treatments. Dr. Siegall has done extraordinary things since co-founding Seattle Genetics in 1998. Most notably, in 2011 he created the first FDA-approved antibody drug conjugate called ADCETRIS®. ADCETRIS can now be found in over 60 countries. Seattle Genetics has 20 other drugs in development and has partnerships with pharmaceutical giants like Pfizer, Bayer, and Genentech.

Dr Siegall’s success also comes from his ability to raise capital. The companies IPO and plenty of private financing helped secure more than $1.8 billion. Strategic licenses with many industry greats, like those mentioned above, have earned more than $400 million.

Clay Siegall’s innovated ideas and unyielding passion for changing the face of cancer research has lead to many great successes for himself and the world around him. With great advances in research, his goal of seeing harsh cancer treatments replaced with targeted therapies is becoming more possible everyday.